We’re heading west for our final two NFL division previews. AFC West is next on the ledger and this will likely be the most tightly contested division in all of football. Every team is capable of winning the division and it would surprise me to see any of these teams out of the playoffs. With that being said, some team(s) will miss out and it is the definitely the most difficult division to predict a winner for. Keep reading to find out how I think the division will play out.

1: Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)

In a tightly contested division like this, someone has to be the winner and I think it will be the Chargers. I think they have the right mix of talent and strength of schedule to gain the division lead. Not that they have an easy schedule ahead, but compared to the rest of the division, it is easy. Justin Herbert is entering his 3rd season and will look to improve on a season that was phenomenal last year. He eclipsed 5,000 yards and threw 38 TDs. On offense, things are business as usual for the Chargers. They basically have the same core and will look to be an elite offense yet again. As for the defense, they improved in the offseason. Khalil Mack was traded to the team and guys like that don’t come around too often. Mack is entering his 9th season and is still a great defender. He’s not been on any Super Bowl caliber teams, so this will potentially be a first for him. Their rush defense really struggled last season and that was a big reason why they couldn’t get over the hump. They shouldn’t have many issues with that this season with their addition of Mack, Austin Johnson and Sebastian Joseph-Day to the defensive front. Also, Joey Bosa will look to keep improving. The biggest stat that stood out to me was his 7 forced fumbles last season. If he and Mack can get on the same page, they will be an unstoppable Linebacking core. A lot of people have either the Chiefs or Chargers winning this division and I think whoever makes it out on top will be the favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

Difference Maker: CB, JC Jackson

I mentioned that the Chargers needed a lot of help on rush defense earlier, but they added a big piece to the pass coverage unit. Jackson signed a 5-year deal and I expect him to be a great addition to the defense. Jackson spent the last 4 seasons in New England and played well. In his last 3 seasons, he compiled 22 INTs. In a pass-heavy division, a good secondary will come in handy and they picked up a good corner this offseason in Jackson.

2: Kansas City Chiefs (10-7)

In a normal season, I would probably project KC at 12-13 wins, but this is no normal season. The Chiefs have the toughest schedule this season by a pretty sizable margin. All but 2 or 3 teams on their schedule are playoffs/Super Bowl caliber opponents. It’s crazy how tough their 2022 campaign will be. If they can make the playoffs this season, I think they will be your Super Bowl favorites. It wouldn't shock me to see Kansas City miss out on the playoffs just based on the schedule alone, but being realistic, they will likely be towards the top of the division yet again. When you have Patrick Mahomes, you are pretty much invincible. They lost some key people and it will be interesting to see how they adjust to that, but they did bring in some new faces. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were added to the receiving core to replace Tyreek Hill and Byron Pringle. They signed Safety Justin Reid to a 3-year deal to replace the Honey Badger and retained D-Linemen Derrick Nnadi and Frank Clark. It should be interesting to see how the Chiefs season plays out this season.

Difference Maker: WR, JuJu Smith-Schuster

It will be difficult to replace Tyreek Hill, but if he can have a healthy season, JuJu will be a nice addition to the team. Travis Kelce will remain the top target for Mahomes, but JuJu can take some of the pressure off of the TE. Injuries have plagued him for a portion of his career, but if he can return to the form of his 2018 season, Kansas City will have gotten a gem. JuJu is only 25 years old and has plenty of football left in him, so I think he could really make a difference for this team.

3: Denver Broncos (10-7)

Russell Wilson was added to the Broncos this offseason and it has a lot of people expecting big things for Denver this year. Their receiving core and backfield are practically the same this season and now they have Russell Wilson throwing passes to them. Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, Javonte Williams, and Melvin Gordon will all be back in Denver this season. The Broncos finished 7-10 last season with Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock at QB, so I expect them to be much better. Their defense should be improved as well. Despite not having a winning record, they had one of the best defenses in the NFL last season. They added DJ Jones and Randy Gregory to the D-Line and guys like Bradley Chubb, Pat Surtain, and Justin Simmons are continuing to improve. They will be a stout team to deal with and it would surprise me if they win the division or more this season.

Difference Maker: QB, Russell Wilson

There’s really no other option for them. Wilson can be the guy to lead them to the Super Bowl and that is what was missing from this Broncos team. Granted it’s going to take more than good QB play, but they now have all of the pieces to make a run. If they can survive the division, they can survive anything thrown at them in the playoffs. Wilson gives them more opportunities to win games and stay consistent.

4: Las Vegas Raiders (9-8)

It’s not likely that everyone in the division will finish above .500, but I think that will be the case this season in the AFC West. The Raiders extended Derek Carr for 3 seasons and traded for superstar WR Davante Adams. This will bring the former college teammates back on the same team and it should be a great pairing. They also renewed Hunter Renfrow’s deal as well. They re-signed Maxx Crosby, acquired Chandler Jones, Jayon Brown and Rock Ya-Sin. Their defense should be improved, and their offense has definitely improved. If they were in any other division, they will likely be division favorites, but that isn't the case. It will be a tough road in the AFC West and someone has to finish last. I think it will be the Raiders, but I definitely could be wrong. This division is going to be intense and I’m interested to see who finishes where when it’s all said and done.

Difference Maker: MLB Denzel Perryman

This is Perryman’s 2nd season with the Raiders and did he ever make a splash last season for them. He compiled 154 tackles in 15 games, which was 6th best in the NFL. Did I mention he only played 15 games? Perryman will look to carry that momentum into the 2022 campaign and be the rock for the Raiders D.

Yacs

2022 AFC West Preview